Swings
by AshLikeSnow
Summary: Both have feelings which don't seem to reach, but after a confession, can they look forward to brighter futures? One-shot. Slightly updated.


**Disclaimer:** Nanoha and friends (lol. Barney and friends) aren't mine and neither is the storyline.

**Note:** Nanoha and Fate are around 16 in this fic.

* * *

"You know.. "

A glance over the shoulder and rocking heels.

".. the truth is I.. mm.. "

A curious look and a determined face.

".. I.. love you."

A stunned silence and a deafening beat.

".. Me too."

A sad smile and a fleeting elation.

"I love you too Nanoha, but.. "

A rejection and a breaking heart.

**Swings**

**By AshLikeSnow**

A vast expanse of sky above stretched as far as the eye could see, with blue overlaid by the fiery glow of the setting sun. A vast expanse of water beneath flowing out to the horizons, dark reflections mimic the sky above. It was a landscape as though bathed with flames, mesmerising in its beauty, and yet deterring with its sadness. It was a vision which captured souls.

Fate stood still as she watched the sun set before her, a stillness which seemed as permanent as the bridge upon which she stood. Leaning backwards against the railing for support, she was an image of the sublime as the final vestiges of sun traced over her frame. There was nothing which could disturb her in such perfection, save her thoughts.

"_Something I just learned. When you see a friend crying, you also become sad.."_

_A tight embrace._

"_Fate-chan!"_

"_Thank you, Nanoha."_

_Tears which flow from happiness._

"_I'll have to leave you for now, but I'm sure we'll meet again."_

"_And when we do.. is it alright for me to call your name again?"_

_A fierce nod._

"_When I want to see you, I'll be sure to call your name."_

"_So.. please call out my name too."_

"_Next time when you're the one in trouble, I'm sure I'll be the one to save you."_

_Smiles which stem from the heart._

With a sigh, I broke off my reverie and pushed myself off the railing, deciding it was time to go. I was frustrated. When I was alone, the same images would always float back into my head, while the same words always reverberated in my mind no matter how hard I tried to push them away, and it never helped that I would always find myself wandering back to the self-same spot. It was never intentional, but my thoughts would always carry myself, along with my feet back to the bridge, this bridge, where it all started.

Walking along the bridge, I couldn't help but wander when things became different. Admittedly, we were always close, a closeness due in part to similarities and shared history, and yet so much more. It was always a closeness which was inexplicable and intangible, but never questioned, a bond forged through exceptional circumstances. So why is it then that our friendship which was always so true, had now begun to change?

No. That wasn't right. I stopped walking. What had been changing wasn't the friendship, or the relationship, but me. She was always the same, always smiling, always supporting others, always giving it her all. I was the one changing, changing the dynamics between us, and I didn't know how to deal with these changes. After all, there never were textbooks about falling in love with your best friend; especially ones about falling in love with your best friend who didn't return your feelings.

I sighed again as I looked back out over the water. The sun had finally set, but left behind a sky of sooty red. The warmth was fading fast from the air and a slight breeze had picked up as I continued to stare, my decision to head back forgotten as silent thoughts once again claimed me.

A startled gasp escaped me as a ringing phone brought me out of my stupor. Digging my hand into my jacket pocket, I fished it out and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Nanoha?"

"Mm.. yeah, I'm free."

"You want to talk?"

"Mm.. ok. I'll see you soon then."

"Ok, bye."

Closing my phone and replacing it in my pocket, I turned back away from the water and began to walk again, this time slightly faster, and towards the park. The night was growing now, but street lamps were on, so it wasn't difficult to find the way. I arrived there after a few minutes, slightly breathless.

Nanoha was sitting in the playground on a swing with face downcast. She wasn't playing.

I walked up to her and enquired. "Nanoha?"

She looked up to see me standing before her. "Fate-chan. That was quick." There was a wan smile on her face.

"I was close by." I was slightly worried now. "What's the matter?"

"Hmm? Nothing really. Just thought I could do with some company." It wasn't convincing.

"Ok.. " I decided to stay silent for the moment and sat down in the swing next to her.

The slight clinking of chains followed by silence, a silence that lasted an eternity until it was pierced by a confession.

"You know.. "

A glance over my shoulder.

".. the truth is.. "

A curious look towards her face.

".. I told Yuuno-kun how I felt about him today."

A stunned silence.

Nanoha was lightly kicking at the dirt.

"I told him that I loved him, I have for a long time."

A sad smile upon her face.

"When he replied he told me loved me too, but.. said the love we had wasn't the type of love I thought it was."

I tried to work my lungs again as I listened.

"He asked me whether I loved my dad and brother, and I replied yes. And then he asked me if what I felt for him was the same as what I felt for them."

The links creaked lightly as she swung.

"I thought about it for a while, and I found that they were, and so I told him. He smiled at me after and said he acts a lot like a brother or father figure would, and since I had feelings like that for him it meant I considered him a part of my family. He thanked me for it."

She stopped swinging.

"And so those words got me thinking. I hadn't realised it before, and it suddenly made sense, so I asked him. Asked him whether he had someone he was in love with, and he said that there was. I asked if it was Hayate-chan, and he was surprised, but agreed that it was."

She was gripping the links as though she would fall without their support.

"I felt so horrible then. The boy I thought I was in love with was actually in love with one of my best friends, and when I looked back at it, she obviously felt the same for him. I guess they were both holding themselves back for my sake when they realised it."

Tears had started to leak out of her eyes.

".. He told me he wasn't the one for me and that my most important person is still out there waiting for me, whoever or wherever they may be."

I couldn't stand to see her tears and so I stood up and stepped in front of her. I offered her my sleeve because I had no tissues.

"Nanoha.. it's ok. You don't have to go on."

She blinked at me through her tears, and then smiled her most heart-warming smile despite them while shaking her head. Instead of taking my sleeve she took my hand instead and stood up. She rested her head on my shoulder.

"He said that my most important person would surely make me smile, and it's possible that I already know them, but simply didn't realise it yet."

I was in love with her. I was in love but I dared not voice myself. Not now. Not until she could accept me.

I could only hold her.

".. You'll find them. Whoever it is."

"Definitely."

Tears continued unabated.

"… Thank you, Fate-chan."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

For those of you who have watched Card Captor Sakura, you would most likely be able to identify this scene, since it's actually what gave me the inspiration for it. I changed the dialogue a little bit at points to make it flow better with regards to fitting it in with Nanohaverse but the premise is largely the same. For some reason when I was thinking back to Syaoran and Sakura, I had a sudden idea that perhaps I could sneak Fate and Nanoha into their roles, so I tried it. It seemed to fit on some levels, but I think I had to work it a little bit, so the characters probably feel a bit inconsistent.

This is my first one-shot fic though and I'm sorta liking it. Probably because I liked the original scene. Admittedly, the original had more build-up and most probably better execution compared to my own, but I'm still sorta learning at this stage, so please bear with me :x

And with that in mind, I would welcome any and all reviews, I could certainly do with them since I'm still a newbie at this :p If I get some good critiques on how to improve then I may continue with some more one-shots when possible. We'll have to see.

On another note, That Day has not been forgotten, I simply decided spur of the moment to write up this fic because I was thinking about CCS. Yeh I'm sorta impulsive like that sometimes. The next chapter of That Day should reveal the reason behind why Fate considers the whole incident her fault, so look forward to it.

Take care, and til I see you guys next.-Ash


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